u/N34D

Took me several attempts, but here's the fruit of my labour - a Fluorescent pick guard! Bringing it along to the Canadian Guitar Show in Calgary this weekend 🎸

The audience ain't it.

Came across this on TikTok and I had to share. Couldn't believe the audience wasn't dialed in.

Figured if I built the damn amp myself, I might as well put my name on it 😂

Made an 8" × 2" 14 gauge solid brass badge, designed and applied the artwork, drilled it and clear coated it.

I think after six years I can finally stop messing with this thing and just play it now.

ORIGINAL POST⁠

Wanted a Plexi-style half stack since I was about 13 (33 now). In 2020 I finally built one instead of buying one; Mojotone 18W TMB, handwired turret board, matching 2x12. Problem was, I screwed it up.

It technically worked, so I never really knew how wrong it was. Both channels sounded almost identical, the tone/volume controls barely did anything, and it had this heavy clean sound with some breakup. Life got busy, I stopped playing much, and it basically sat for years.

This week I decided I wasn't putting it away again until I figured it out.

I went through the circuit against the schematic/layout and checked basically every connection with a meter. Eventually found two original build mistakes.

First was crossed wiring in the preamp. Fixed that, powered it up... and immediately got a massive rising oscillation/chirp.

That turned into another round of troubleshooting. Pulled V1/V2, and the V3 to EL84 to OT/output section was completely stable. Added V2 back and the oscillation returned. Swapped tubes, checked the V2 socket, plate/cathode/grid paths, resistors, etc. Everything kept checking out.

Weirdest clue was that putting my meter on the V2 grid/gain circuit would actually stop the oscillation.

Then I finally noticed it.

I had installed the ground bus across the pots in 2020... but completely missed the pot lugs that the Mojotone layout shows bent over and soldered to the cases. 😂

Added the missing grounds, checked continuity and fired it up.

DEAD STABLE.

And holy shit, apparently I'd never actually heard this amp before.

The TMB channel is fantastic. Clean and articulate lower down, then gets into that classic British crunch as you push it. The Normal channel surprised me just as much. Roll the guitar volume back and it's beautifully clean, then turn it up and dig in and it breaks up without touching the amp.

Cab is loaded with two 8 ohm Celestions: a G12H Heritage 55Hz and G12H-30 75Hz. I wired it for 4 ohm parallel or 16 ohm series with both speakers, or 8 ohm individually so I can run either one by itself.

Added a Bugera PS1 too because 18 watts through this thing wide open is absolutely ridiculous. 😂

Playing my G&L ASAT Classic Tribute. The MFD pickups and this amp are an awesome combination.

I've barely played guitar regularly in about a decade. I've spent the last couple days playing songs I haven't touched in years and apparently the muscle memory never left. I've literally got blisters on my fingers again.

Took me six years to actually finish the amp and about 20 years to get the half stack I wanted as a kid.

Worth every bit of it.